Foreign Affairs Ministry Appoints ACOE Member Raphael Oni as Special Assistant on Digital and Public Diplomacy
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has appointed Mr Raphael Oni, a member of the Association of Communication Experts and Practitioners of Nigeria (ACOE), as Special Assistant on Digital and Public Diplomacy to the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Sola Enikanolaiye.
The appointment is part of a new media team approved by the Minister to strengthen communication of the Ministry’s mandate and the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Also appointed is Mr Richard Elesho, who will serve as Special Assistant on Media and Strategic Communications.
According to the Ministry’s spokesperson, Kimiebi Imomotimi Ebienfa, the two appointees bring extensive experience in journalism, public affairs, government communication and media management.
Oni is a diplomatic reporting specialist with more than 15 years of experience spanning government communication, public diplomacy and international relations.
An award-winning photojournalist and diplomatic correspondent, he holds a Master’s Degree in International Relations and Diplomacy from the University of Abuja.
He has served as Publisher of Diplomats Extra Magazine since 2013, a publication focused on diplomacy and international affairs and read by government ministries, departments and agencies, diplomatic missions and other stakeholders.
Oni has also served two terms as Secretary General of the Diplomatic Correspondents Association of Nigeria (DICAN) and as Secretary General of the NUJ Correspondents Chapel, Abuja.
Elesho, on his part, is a graduate of Delta State University, Abraka, and Kogi State University, Anyigba. He previously served as Chief Press Secretary/Director General, Media Affairs, to former Kogi State Governors Ibrahim Idris and Idris Wada.
Until his appointment, he was the North Central Bureau Chief of The News/PM News.
The Ministry expressed confidence that the new media team would contribute to effective public communication and the promotion of Nigeria’s diplomatic objectives.
It also called for the support and cooperation of stakeholders as the appointees commence their responsibilities.
